Communication & interaction

Range 1: Communication & interaction

  • Young person will have been identified by staff, family or him/herself as presenting with some low-level features of social communication needs.
  • Young person may show differences in understanding and using non-verbal communication and/or language.
  • Young person has interests which may access to the curriculum and need to be considered.
  • Young person may have difficulty transitioning between activities and may show increased anxiety at these times.
  • Young person may be over or under responsive to sensory input.
  • Young person may require support to access some aspects of the curriculum, and/or the social and emotional aspects of their provision. If the environment does not meet the needs of the young person this may significantly impact their mental health and well-being.
  • Young person may or may not have a diagnosis of Autism made by an appropriate multi-agency team
  • The post 16 setting are providing quality first teaching and the young person is making expected progress and is happy and settled in the provision.
  • Example of support at Post 16 – Post 16 staff are providing a low sensory environment and teaching approaches which incorporate visual resources and adapted language. 

Consider whether the following statement describes how the young person is affected within Post 16:

Young person at range 1 will have communication and interaction differences identified by the range descriptors that affect their access to some aspects of the curriculum, including the social emotional curriculum and Post 16 life.

If this statement accurately describes your young person use the advice given in range 1. If not, you will need to consider descriptors for other levels.

There may or may not be a diagnosis of Autism by an appropriate multi-agency team.

Assessment and Planning

Assessment:

  • Will be part of the Post 16 provision, teaching and assessments, some assessments may have taken place prior to them transitioning to the post 16 provider 

Planning:

  • Curriculum plans should include individual/group targets
  • Where needed, family to be involved regularly and support targets at home
  • Young person will be involved in setting and monitoring targets
  • Information surrounding the young person will be shared with key stakeholders within the setting.
  • Planning may need to incorporate adaptations such as learning breaks, time allocated to sensory differences and processing needs.

Teaching and Learning Strategies

  • Must be included in the learning environment with specific support for targets which involve access to the curriculum including the social emotional curriculum and all aspects of Post 16 life.
  • Should be offered opportunities for small group work within the usual learning environment planning and management.

Curriculum/Intervention

Resources/Provision:

  • The use of Quality First teaching approaches to support the development of social communication and interaction skills and to support access to the curriculum.
  • Must have full inclusion to the curriculum but flexibility may be required to enable access.
  • Flexibility may be required to enable the young person to follow instructions and/or record work.
  • Instructions may need to be supported by use of visual and written cues.
  • Preparation for change and the need for clear routines will be required, where change can not be predicted a clear explanation will need to be given to the young person.
  • Reduction of complex language, especially when giving instructions and asking questions, will be required.
  • Use of Newcastle SEND Mainstream Guidance.

Resources and Staffing

Setting:

  • Flexible use of resources and staffing available in the learning environment
  • Staff have at least a basic level of awareness about Autism and associated presenting differences – e.g., through training such as ‘AET making sense of autism’
  • Staff should have knowledge about supporting regulation.
  • Staff should understand that good relationships with young people are key to enabling the young person to access all aspects of Post 16 life. 

Range 2: Communication & interaction

  • Despite quality first teaching and range 1 interventions being in place, the young person continues to present with differences in social communication which are negatively impacting on them as identified by him/herself, family or Post 16 staff.
  • The young person will need some more focused support (e.g., individual or small group) to access a number of aspects of the curriculum, including the social emotional provision. If the environment does not meet the needs of the young person this may significantly impact their mental health and well-being.
  • The young person may or may not have a diagnosis of Autism made by an appropriate multi-agency team.
  • The young person may be over or under responsive to sensory input.
  • The Post 16 provision have recognised that the young person needs additional support and are making reasonable adjustments such as minor environmental adaptations, adjusting language used, using visual support/AAC, support during transition times and Exam Access Arrangement’s.
  • The young person will be monitored using the assess, plan, do, review process.
  • Young person may need a higher level of support and additional resources around transitions.

Consider whether the following statement describes this need:

At Range 2, the young person will have communication and interaction differences identified by the range descriptors that affect access to a number of aspects of the curriculum, including the social emotional curriculum and Post 16 life.

If this statement accurately describes your young person use the advice given in Range 2. If not, you will need to consider descriptors for other levels.

There may or may not be a diagnosis of Autism by an appropriate multi-agency team.

Assessment and Planning

Assessment:

As range 1 plus:

  • Use of more detailed individual assessment of need
  • Could also include other assessments relating to need, advice from SLT or OT advice (where applicable)

Planning:

  • Curriculum plans will reflect levels of achievement and include individually focused targets.
  • Planning may need to incorporate adaptations such as learning breaks, time allocated to sensory differences and processing needs.

Teaching and Learning Strategies

  • Will be based in the learning environment and will have opportunity for small group and individual work to supports targets which involve access to the curriculum including the social emotional curriculum and all aspects of Post 16 life.
  • May need adaptations to the working environment such as a quiet area within the learning environment for individual work.

As range 1 plus

  • The use of Quality First teaching approaches to support social communication.
  • Flexibility will be required to enable the young person to follow instructions and/or record work.
  • Clear use of visual and written cues will be useful to support instructions.
  • Preparation for change and the need for clear routines will be required, where change can not be predicted a clear explanation will need to be given to the young person.
  • Reduction of complex language, especially when giving instructions and asking questions, will be required.

Curriculum/Intervention

As range 1 plus:

  • Curriculum access will be facilitated by using a structured approach to provision which should involve using visual systems or timetables reducing language for instructions/ information giving.
  • The use of assisted technology to support independent learning
  • Teaching approaches should take account of differences identified within the range descriptors.
  • Use of Newcastle SEND Mainstream Guidance.

Resources and Staffing

As range 1, plus:

Setting:

  • Will need additional professional support from skilled colleagues, e.g., SENCO/SEND Teams, to aid curriculum modifications.
  • Should consider staff training to ensure that they are trained to meet the needs of the students in their learning environment.
  • Will need additional professional support from skilled colleagues to develop their understanding of the differences in social interaction, social communication and social understanding.
  • Will need use of additional Post 16 support to implement specific materials, approaches and resources as appropriate.
  • Staff have at least a basic level of awareness about Autism and associated presenting differences – e.g., through training such as ‘AET good autism practice’.
  • Staff should have knowledge about supporting regulation.
  • Staff should understand that good relationships with young people are key to enabling the young person to access all aspects of Post 16 life.
  • Post 16 providers are encouraged to have an Autism Champion in their setting.

Range 3: Communication & interaction

  • Despite quality first teaching and range 1 and 2 interventions being in place, the young person continues to present with differences in social communication which are negatively impacting on them as identified by him/herself, family or staff.
  • The young person will require a moderate level of support to access the curriculum, including the social emotional curriculum and all aspects of their provision. If the environment does not meet the needs of the young person this may significantly impact their mental health and well-being. This is especially true in new and unfamiliar contexts.
  • Curriculum delivery needs to consider differences and the possibility of the young person having an uneven pattern of strengths and areas of need. Learning environment may need to be adapted (e.g., low distraction environment, individual work system, additional time for processing, assessment broken up into smaller chunks, regular movement/sensory breaks, alternative recording methods).
  • Curriculum content needs to be adapted to support the acquisition, retention and generalisation of skills.
  • Assessment approaches need to consider differences and the possibility of the child having a ‘spiky profile’ (e.g., low distraction environment, additional time for processing, assessment broken up into smaller chunks, regular movement/sensory breaks, alternative recording methods)
  • Young person may or may not have a diagnosis of Autism made by an appropriate multi-agency team
  • Young person may be over or under responsive to sensory input.
  • Young person will be monitored using the assess, plan, do, review process.
  • Young person may need a higher level of support and additional resources around transitions.

Consider whether the following statement describes how the young person is affected within Post 16 provision:

At Range 3, young people will have communication and interaction differences identified by the range descriptors that will moderately affect their access to the curriculum, including the social emotional curriculum and all aspects of Post 16 life. This is especially true in new and unfamiliar contexts.

If this statement accurately describes your young person use the advice given in Range 3. If not, you will need to consider descriptors for other levels.

There are differences in acquisition, retention and generalisation of information. The young person may or may not have a diagnosis of Autism made by an appropriate clinical team.

Curriculum Levels

  • Across the expected range but with an unusual profile showing weaknesses in some areas and strengths in others.

Assessment and Planning

Assessment:

As range 1 and 2 plus:

  • More specialised assessment tools may be needed.
  • Accurate and up to date assessment of independent levels must be kept as a working document to aid planning and to share with family
  • Assessment includes a profile of sensory needs

Planning:

  • Curriculum plans will reflect levels of achievement and must include individually focused targets
  • Planning may need to incorporate adaptations such as learning breaks, time allocated to sensory differences and processing needs – which may include time out of the learning environment. 

Teaching and Learning Strategies

As range 1 and 2 plus:

  • Inclusion within the learning environment. However, there will be a need for an enhanced level of reasonable adjustments and individual support
  • Targeted support will be needed which may include unstructured parts of the day, e.g., start and end of day, breaks, lunchtimes and trips out.
  • Support for areas of sensory needs which may include ‘time out’ space and other environmental adaptations to reduce stress and anxiety

As range 1 and 2 plus:

  • The use of Quality First teaching approaches to support social communication.
  • Flexibility will be required to enable the young person to follow instructions and/or record work.
  • Clear use of visual and written cues will be useful to support instruction.
  • Preparation for change and the need for clear routines will be required, where change can not be predicted a clear explanation will need to be given to the young person.
  • Reduction of complex language, especially when giving instructions and asking questions, will be required.
  • Staff will need to implement recommendations made by the Autism lead/SENCO/SEN Team/outside professionals.

Curriculum/Intervention

As range 1 and 2 plus:

  • Will need to make noticeable adaptations to the curriculum to aid access and reduce anxiety.
  • Will need differentiation by presentation and/or outcome.
  • Will need support in developing understanding of the differences between neurotypical and neurodivergent social communication skills (embedded within a curriculum which also supports neurotypical young people to understand different communication styles).

Resources and Staffing

As range 1 and 2 plus:

Setting:

  • Advice and support for individual young people from LA Specialist staff may be requested from SEN Advice and Support Allocation Panel (SEN ASAP). Check re provision for yp outside of LA
  • Training from specialist teachers, AET resources and training.
  • Teaching approaches must take account of differences identified within the range descriptors.
  • Post 16 Providers  should consider using the Autism Education Trust staff competencies to support development of specialist skills
  • Staff should have knowledge about supporting regulation.
  • Staff should understand that good relationships with young people are key to enabling the young person to access all aspects of Post 16 providers life.
  • Post 16 providers are encouraged to have an Autism Champion in their setting.

Range 4: Communication & interaction

  • Despite quality first teaching and range 1 -3 interventions being in place, the child//young person continues to present with differences in social communication which are negatively impacting on them as identified by him/herself, family or Post 16 staff.
  • Despite support and intervention, the young person may be highly anxious/distressed. If the environment does not meet the needs of the young person this may significantly impact their mental health and well-being. This is especially true in new and unfamiliar contexts but will also affect access at times of high stress in some known and familiar contexts and with familiar support/people available.
  • Young person may present with a more complex combination of differences across a number of areas as outlined in the descriptors and is likely to necessitate an ongoing multi-agency response.
  • Young person will require a significant level of support to access the Curriculum, including the social emotional curriculum and all aspects of Post 16 life.
  • Curriculum delivery needs to consider differences and the possibility of the young person having a ‘spiky profile’ (an uneven pattern of strengths and areas of need). Learning environment may need to be adapted (e.g., low distraction environment, individual work system, additional time for processing, assessment broken up into smaller chunks, regular movement/sensory breaks, alternative recording methods).
  • Curriculum content needs to be adapted to support the acquisition, retention and generalisation of skills.
  • Assessment approaches need to consider differences and the possibility of the child having a ‘spiky profile’ (e.g., low distraction environment, additional time for processing, assessment broken up into smaller chunks, regular movement/sensory breaks, alternative recording methods)
  • Young person may or may not have a diagnosis of an Autism by an appropriate multi-agency diagnostic team
  • Young person may be over or under responsive to sensory input
  • Young person will be monitored using the assess, plan, do, review process
  • Young person may need a higher level of support and additional resources around transitions.

Consider whether the following statement describes how the young person is affected within Post 16 provision: 

At Range 4, young person will have communication and interaction differences identified by the range descriptors that significantly affect their access to the curriculum, including the social emotional curriculum and all aspects of Post 16 life.

If this statement accurately describes your young person use the advice given in Range 4. If not, you will need to consider descriptors for other levels.

There are differences in acquisition, retention and generalisation of information. The young person may or may not have a diagnosis of Autism made by an appropriate clinical team.

The young person will have an uneven learning profile, but their attainment levels suggest they can access a differentiated mainstream curriculum.

Curriculum Level

  • Across the expected range but with an unusual profile showing weaknesses in some areas and strengths in others.

Assessment and Planning

As range 1 – 3 plus:

Assessment:

  • Should include assessment advice from other agencies, e.g., SLT/OT.
  • Assessment should include details about sensory needs.

Planning:

  • Increased level of understanding by teaching and support staff will require plans for developing understanding of young person’s needs.
  • To include all setting staff that come into contact with young people on a daily basis.
  • Shadowing staff in specialist settings.
  • Planning must include adaptations to curriculum to ensure the development of independent learning and life skills.

Teaching and Learning Strategies

As range 1 -3 plus:

  • Robust planning to meet objectives defined in support plans.

Curriculum/Intervention

As range 1- 3 plus:

  • Must implement recommendations of relevant staff or outside agencies

As range 1 -3 plus

  • Significant adaptations to curriculum, teaching methods and environment needed to access the curriculum. These will include conceptual understanding of everyday language and subject specific vocabulary; pace of delivery; significant pre- learning and over learning of concepts and functions and use of alternative recording methods.
  • Where appropriate an alternative curriculum must be offered to develop independence and life skills.
  • Will need support in developing understanding of the differences between neurotypical and neurodivergent social communication skills (embedded within a curriculum which also supports neurotypical young people to understand different communication styles).

Resources and Staffing

As range 1 – 3 plus:

Setting:

  • Additional training of staff to support their understanding of curriculum modifications and social interaction, social communication and social understanding.
  • Advice and support from Mental Health services.

Range 5: Communication & interaction

  • The young person presents with significant and complex social communication differences, which may be compounded by additional needs and sometimes require specialist provision outside the mainstream learning environment
  • Young person will require a bespoke and individualised curriculum, and high level of support to access the social and emotional aspects of Post 16 life, even in known and familiar contexts and with familiar support/people available.
  • If the environment does not meet the needs of the young person this may significantly impact their mental health and well-being.
  • Curriculum delivery needs to consider differences, including the possibility of the young person having a highly complex presentation of differences which might cut across several or all descriptor areas. Learning environment will need to be adapted (e.g., low distraction environment, individual work system, additional time for processing, assessment broken up into smaller chunks, regular movement/sensory breaks, alternative recording methods).
  • Curriculum content needs to be adapted to support the acquisition, retention, and generalisation of skills. There may also be a focus on the development of life skills such as self-help skills and employability skills.
  • Assessment approaches need to consider differences and the possibility of the young person having a ‘spiky profile’ (e.g., low distraction environment, additional time for processing, assessment broken up into smaller chunks, regular movement/sensory breaks, alternative recording methods).
  • Young person may or may not have a diagnosis of an Autism made by an appropriate multi-agency team.
  • Young person may be over or under responsive to sensory input.
  • Young person may need a higher level of support and additional resources around transitions.
  • Young person may be at risk of withdrawing from their learning environment.

Consider whether the following statement describes how the young person is affected:

At Range 5, young people will have communication and interaction differences identified by the range descriptors that severely affect their access to the curriculum, including the social emotional curriculum and all aspects of Post 16 life, even in known and familiar contexts and with familiar support/people available.

If this statement accurately describes your young person use the advice given in Range 5.

If not, you will need to consider descriptors for other levels.

There are differences in acquisition, retention and generalisation of information. The young person may or may not have a diagnosis of Autism made by an appropriate clinical team.

Assessment and Planning

As range 1 – 4 plus:

  • Must include detailed assessment for life skills and sensory needs.
  • Assessment of behaviour and medical needs to inform the planning process where required.
  • Where needed, risk assessments, and plans to support regulation and manage dysregulation - must be coproduced and shared with family.
  • Must include planning for whole day, including unstructured times.
  • Planning must consider learning styles, identified strengths and learning needs.
  • Accurate and up to date assessment of independent levels must be kept as a working document to aid planning and to share with family.
  • Long term involvement of education and non-education professionals is likely to be needed.

Teaching and Learning Strategies

As range 1– 4 plus

  • Robust planning to meet objectives in the support plan/ EHCP if applicable.
  • Access to a quiet area within the learning environment must be available when needed to offer opportunities for distraction free learning.
  • A variety of groupings must be used to ensure learning, including time in a quiet, distraction free environment.
  • Daily opportunities to manage their own anxieties by graded access to a range of environments.

Curriculum/Intervention

As range 1– 4 plus:

  • Curriculum modifications must be selected to engage with C&I differences/Autism in relation to curriculum content, peer group etc.
  • Therapeutic approaches (e.g., OT and SALT) must be part of the curriculum and used to support the emotional wellbeing of the young person.
  • Access to specialist approaches and equipment as part of a holistic package to meet the individual’s sensory, social communication and understanding differences.
  • Use a range of alternative augmentative communication to support social and functional communication skills to enhance interaction and understanding (e.g., PECS, Makaton, electronic voice output communication aids (VOCA) and other assisted technology.

Resources and Staffing

As range 1– 4 plus:

SETTING:

  • Flexibility of staffing available to accommodate need, especially during unstructured times.
  • Key staff must have advanced training in C&I differences/Autism.
  • Additional training of staff to support specific curriculum modifications in relation to needs identified in the range descriptors.
  • Advice and support from Mental Health services.

Range 6: Communication & interaction

  • There are continuing, significant and complex social communication differences, often compounded by additional needs and requiring continued provision outside the mainstream learning environment, including:
  • Young person will require a highly adapted and differentiated curriculum that will be accessed alongside peers with a similar profile of support need.
  • If the environment does not meet the needs of the young person this may significantly impact their mental health and well-being.
  • Curriculum delivery needs to consider differences, including the possibility of the young person having a highly complex presentation of differences which might cut across several or all descriptor areas. Learning environment will need to be adapted (e.g., low distraction environment, individual work system, additional time for processing, assessment broken up into smaller chunks, regular movement/sensory breaks, alternative recording methods).
  • Curriculum content needs to be adapted to support the acquisition, retention, and generalisation of skills. There may also be a focus on the development of life skills such as self-help skills and employability skills.
  • Young person may or may not have a diagnosis of an Autism made by an appropriate multi-agency team.
  • Young person may be over or under responsive to sensory input.
  • Young person may need a higher level of support and additional resources around transitions.
  • Young person may be at risk of withdrawing from their learning environment.

Assessment and Planning

Assessment

  • Targets must be individualised, short term, specific & reviewed.
  • Detailed assessments to inform planning/target setting.
  • Ongoing teaching assessments including social communication skills, emotional wellbeing and life skills, including preparation for adulthood.
  • Long-term involvement of educational and non-educational professionals as appropriate in assessment and planning.
  • Assessment of emotional regulation, sensory needs, individual behaviour needs, and medical needs must be used to inform the planning process.
  • Curriculum planning closely tracks levels of attainment and incorporates individual targets and therapy programmes.
  • Individual care plan/protocol to be in place.
  • Risk assessment will describe procedures to keep safe young people, other staff and property. There will be an assessment of the risk of absconding and procedures described to manage such an eventuality.

Teaching and Learning Strategies

  • Robust planning to meet the objectives in the EHCP.
  • Small groups within a specialist provision for communication and interaction needs.
  • Specialist educational setting.
  • Daily opportunities for small group and 1:1 teaching and learning.
  • Where possible, graded access to learning activities and leisure opportunities.

Curriculum/Intervention

  • Curriculum access will be facilitated by using a predictable approach which may involve using visual systems or timetables and reducing language for instruction/information giving.
  • Teaching strategies should consider difficulties with transfer of skills; teaching approach should take account of difficulties in understanding the social rules and expectations of the learning environment.
  • Use a range of alternative augmentative communication to support social and functional communication skills to enhance interaction and understanding (e.g., PECS, Makaton, electronic voice output communication aids (VOCA) and other assisted technology.
  • Use of adapted teaching materials and resources to support teaching and learning for those with sensory and/or physical impairment.
  • Enhanced life skills, sex and relationships and personal development programmes to ensure skills embedded.

Resources and Staffing

  • High staffing ratio to support teaching and learning with sustained opportunities for a high staff ratio.
  • All staff trained and experienced in working with young people with Social Communication Differences/Autism.
  • Additional staffing to escort young people and support at times of crisis and stress.
  • All staff trained and experienced in approaches which can support the management of complex behaviour needs.
  • Consistent staff team experienced in working with students who present with a range of needs because of their Autism diagnosis.
  • Access to specialist approaches, equipment and therapeutic services (e.g., OT and SALT) as part of the curriculum.
  • Advice and support from Mental Health services.

Range 7: Communication & interaction

Continued long term and complex social communication difficulties, necessitating a continued multi-agency response co-ordinated as annual, interim or emergency SEND review and met in specialist provision. Difficulties likely to include:

  • Highly complex needs identified
  • Extreme violent/aggressive behaviour due to unmet/unidentified needs
  • Self-harming behaviour
  • Serious mental health issues
  • Long term emotionally based school avoidance
  • Extreme vulnerability
  • Medical conditions that are potentially life threatening and cannot be managed without dedicated support

Assessment and Planning

EHCP is complete and young person has been assessed as needing enhanced specialist provision.

Assessment will be an ongoing process to determine progress in learning, and also:

  • Development of safe, positive relationships
  • Development of social and emotional skills and safe coping strategies through targeted/specialist intervention and support
  • There will be involvement from a range of specialist professionals in place, such as CYPs, Educational Psychologist, Adult Social Care & Mental Health Services
  • Multi-agency work continues, and continual assessment to feed into the cycle of annual reviews.

Planning

  • EHCP and appropriate short-term targets.
  • Risk assessment will describe procedures to keep safe the young person, other staff, young people and property.
  • Planning meetings will include parents/carers, the young person and are multi-agency.

Teaching and Learning Strategies

  • Young person is on roll at a specialist provision or on a bespoke foundation learning programme.
  • This could be out of area and/or residential specialist provision
  • Young person offered one to one support from an adult for some of the day.
  • There will be a greater ratio of adults to young person and staff will have specialisms in managing young people who present with challenging behaviour.

Curriculum/Intervention

  • Provision is within a specialist environment with appropriate staff/ young person ratios.
  • Continued daily access to staff with experience and training in meeting the needs of young people with highly complex needs.
  • Intervention is planned and reviewed in line with young person’s progress against specific targets.

Resources and Staffing

As for earlier ranges, plus:

  • Personalised to the specific needs of the young person
  • Advice available from relevant specialist services, including:
    • CYPS/CAMHS
    • Adult Mental Health
    • Educational Psychologist
    • Social Care
    • Community Support Worker
    • Family Intervention
    • Voluntary Sector Organisations
    • Prevent Services
Information from https://childrenandfamiliesnewcastle.org.uk/
Printed on March 5th 2026
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